I got a flat on my '05 Lariat day before yesterday. I found out the hard way that the lugs are torqued to 150 ft lbs! I would say that a very small number of people in the world are able to remove wheels! I'm a big guy and hell it was difficult for me.

The ford lug wrench even bent! Why the hell is it so tight? I took the truck to Les Schaub and there air impact could not remove some of them. Once done I tightened them with my lug wrench. Now I know I can remove them.

 

150 ft-lbs is a bit high...is that what the manual calls out?

There's a lot of tire shops that use impact wrenches to remove lug nuts...that's not so bad.
But when they tighten the lug nuts using an impact wrench...well, I think you saw the result.
If you have your wheels removed for whatever reason, I suggest you insist they be torqued (using a torque wrench) when putting them back on...especially if you have aluminum wheels.
It's also a good idea to use an anti-seize compound.

 

Wow, I would have never guessed they were that tight.

WHEEL LUG NUT TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS
Retighten the lug nuts to the specified torque at 500 miles (800 km)
after any wheel disturbance (rotation, flat tire, wheel removal, etc.).
Bolt size Wheel lug nut torque*

M14 x 2.0 150 lb.ft. 200 N•m
* Torque specifications are for nut and bolt threads free of dirt and
rust. Use only Ford recommended replacement fasteners.

Going to be putting a socket and 36" breaker bar in mine. Don't want to be struggling with that on the side of the highway.

 

Typically on a steel wheel you can torque to 150 ft-lbs. but you don't want to go much more than 95 to 110 ft-lbs on an aluminum wheel or you could warp the rotors, especially if you don't torque in a "star" pattern

 

I feel your pain. I had a VW camper (Westfalia) that I swear the lug nuts "self welded" themselves to the lugs! I broke a half inch breaker bar on one of them attempting to break them loose. I finally went to a tire shop and had them use an impact wrench to loosen them. The tire guy then told me to smear some anti-sieze on the threads, then re-install the lug nuts. I never had a problem after that getting the lug nuts off.
I also carried with me one of those "X" type lug nut removers (4 seperate sizes at each end), as they work much better when away from your tool box for removing lug nuts over the silly factory wrench they provide. Those factory wrenches are good for beating yourself over your head after it breaks.

My son bought a "gorilla bar" from a parts store. It expands to provide leverage, and looks to be pretty strong.

 

The torque setting is 130lbs for the lug nuts on my '04 4X4... and DO NOT use anti-seize compound on lug nuts....

You can use anti-seize on the rim where it connects to the hub but none on the lug nugs or wheel studs...they can back off and you will lose one or more that way...

 

I have used anti seize for years on lug studs and NEVER had one back off.

 

I use a torque stick extension on every wheel I put back on. Don't forget your supposed to torque the wheels with the weight of the truck on them since the wheels are hub centric

 

leopold-I am only passing on what the tech manual says....and my local mechanic...I use it on the inner hub so the aluminium rims won't seize onto the stell hub but that is all...

 

I have a degree in Industrial Engineering, so Torque is something I know a bit about when it comes to fasteners.

If the manual calls for a torque spec of a clean dry fastener, DO NOT LUBE IT with anything!

the reduced friction will allow you to stretch the bolt, and if you stretch it past it's yield point you'll find out in a hurry. It is just as bad as not tightening the fastener enough. You can also fracture an aluminum wheel this way. If you know what a Tinius Olsen tensile test does, that is what you are doing by exceeding the torque value.

You can use anti-seize on the face of the rotor that contacts the rim, and around the hub centric lip, but you want the lugs and lug nuts to be clean, dry, and devoid of oxidation. Any debris will give you a false torque reading and the clamping force will not be there. Think of this scenario like a cross threaded bolt.... it gets good and tight, but it isn't holding the parts together.